Slat for venetian blinds



March 10, 1936. 5 w K sc SLAT FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed April 29, 1955 INIVENTOR. 7 W 0C/7 BY ATTORNEY;

'Patented Mar. 10, 1936 PATENT OFFICE sLA'r Foa VENETIAN BLINDS Guy W. Kirsch, Sturgis, Mich., assignor to Kirsch 7 Company, Sturgis, Mich.

Application April 2% 1935, Serial No. 18,838

7 Claims.

I is made up of sections of wood slats joined at their ends by metallic fastening members.

Second, to provide such a slat that may be removed from the blind without the necessity for unthreading the lifting cords which pass through the slots in the slats.

Third, to produce such a slat that may be readily removed from the blind but which is so formed that it will not get out of place during the raisingand lowering or tilting of the blind.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to detail and economies of construction and operation will appear from the description to follow. A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a Venetian blind containing slats made after my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the blind and slats at the lift cord, showing the construction of the slats.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet metal fastening member for joining the sections of the slat together.

Fig. 41s a plan view of a portion of the slat showingthe fastener in place joining the ends of the slat.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the method of flexing the slat to make possible the removal thereof without unthreading the lift cords.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the slat taken on line of Fig. 4. L

In the drawing, i is a Venetian blind having a header 2, ladder tapes 3, andlift cords l which may be of conventional construction. 5 are the slats which in this instance are made up of a plurality of pieces of wood 6 which are Joined together at their ends by a metallic fastening member I. The metallic member in this instance is made of a rectangular piece of sheet metal which has its ends 8 bent over to form inwardly facing channels to receive the ends of the sections 6 and to clamp them in position.

9 are prongs for engaging the slat sections 8,

of the construction which are preferably of wood, to hold them positively in place.

III is a slot disposed in the fastening element I and arranged to lie transversely of the finished slat. The slot has its edges upset as at i I to pre- 5 sent a rounded surface to the lift cords 4 passing through the slot when the slat is in place, and also to serve as stops or spacers against which the ends of the sections 6 may be placed.

Cut-outs i2 are provided to provide clearance 10 for the lift cord in the finished slat.

A cut I3 is provided in the member I. The cut as shown is of substantial width and extends from the slot ill to the edge of the fastener so that in the finished slat there is a cut extending from it the slot Ill to the edge of the slat. The cut extends preferably along the line of one of the edges of the slot i0 so as to practically form a continuation of that edge as is shown in Fig. 4.

This arrangement leaves smooth rounded ends H in the slot, but permits the slat to be twisted as shown in Fig. 6 to open up the slot to permit the lift cords to be passed either in or out of the slot through the opening l5 illustrated in Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated that the cut could be made centrally if desired, although it is less apt to wear out the cord if it is positioned as illustrated.

The sheet metal employed in making the member 1 has some spring to it, so that when the slat is twisted as shown in Fig. 6 there is a tendency for the material to return to the position shown in Fig. 7. This is not absolutely necessary, because even a very soft metal will be easily bent to present a flat slat. The metal used is a mild steel of comparatively light gauge.

It will be appreciated that when a slat of my construction is used it may be slid into place in the ladder tapes and twisted to permit the insertion of the lift cord 4 into the slot, or if for any reason it is desired to remove the slat, a twisting permits the removal of the lift cord 4 from the slot, which permits the slat to be removed without unthreading the lift cords.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wish to claim the same specifically and also broadly as pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of separate sections joined at their adjacent ends by a rectangular sheet metal member 5 channels to receive the ends of said sections and having its ends inturned to form inwardly facing having its ends inturned to form inwardly facing clamp them and having strip engaging prongs, said member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cord through the slat, and having a cut running from said slot to the edge of the slat as a continuation of one edge of the slot, said slot having its edges upset to present a smooth surface tothe cord and to serve as a spacer for the ends of the sections lying in said member.

2. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of separate sections joined at their adiacent ends by a rectangular sheet metal member having its ends inturned to form inwardly facing channels to receive the ends of said sections and clamp them, said member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cord through the slat, and having a cut running from said slot to the edge of the slat as a continuation of one edge of the slot, said slot having its edges upset to present a smooth surface to the cord.

3. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a: plurality of separate sections joined at their adja- -cent ends by a rectangular sheet metal member channels to receive the ends of said sections and clamp them and having strip engaging prongs, said member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permitpassage of the lift cord through the slat, and having a cut running from said slot to the edge of the slat, said slot having its edges upset to present a smoothsuri'acetothecordandtoserveasa spacer for the ends of the sections lying in said member.

4. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of separate sections joined at their adjacent ends by a rectangular sheet metal member having its ends inturned to form inwardly facing channels to receive the ends of said sections and clamp them, said member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cord through the slat, and having a cut running from said slot to the edge of the slat, said slot having its edges upset to present a smooth surface to the cord.

5. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a pinrality of separate sections joined at their adiacent ends by a sheet metal member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cord through the slat and having a cut running from the said slot to the edge of the slat as a continuation of one edge of the slot.

6. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of separate sections joined at their adjacent ends by a sheet metal member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cordthrough the slat and having a cut running from the said slot to the alge of the slat.

' 7. A slat for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of separate sections joined at their adjacent ends by a metal member having a slot therein disposed to extend transversely of the slat to permit passage of the lift cord through the slat and having a cut rimning from the said slot to the edge of the slat.

, GUY W. KIRSCH. 

